The Morhabadi Ground located in the heart of the Capital City has adorned a whole new look. With festival of lights around the corner, the busiest venue of Ranchi is stocked up with quite a number of colourful glittering stuffs as here comes up a tantalizing event — ‘Diwali Utsav’. As many as 240 stalls of different products set up inside 5 hangers have all essential requirements for the city residents for the ‘Diwali’ celebration.
In a major initiative to provide support to the most deprived people of the society through different social ventures, Jharkhand IAS Wives Association’s (JIASOWA) mega annual fest — ‘Diwali Utsav’ was inaugurated amid much fanfare here on Thursday by CM Raghubar Das.
The CM while addressing the gathering urged the public to endorse Diyas (Earthen Lights) to bring prosperity and happiness in the lives of those associated with pottery making business. Also, he added that the festival of light and knowledge symbolises cleanliness, hence, sanitation mission should be celebrated as a festival with utmost joy and determination.
Further, appreciating the initiatives of JIASOWA, the CM said, “We get social impetus, if each individual belonging even to the weaker section of the society is involved in our joy and celebration. Everyone should develop a feeling of ‘Joy of Giving’. Taking up initiatives to brighten up the lives of deprived people is the essence of every festival. This event has created a ‘Mini India’ here which depicts unity and will aid in shaping up lives of the needy.”
The mega consumer fair, getting bigger and better with every passing year has been a talk of the town ever since its inception in 2005. With a vision and collective approach of Jharkhand IAS officers’ wives to support those who are yet to be brought into the mainstream, a series of activities is carried out by the JIASOWA members across the State.
The funds collected annually through this fiesta organised on a much wider scale, where artisans from across the country is invited to showcase their specialties ranging from home décor to handicrafts are primarily used in accomplishing different social endeavours. By far, JIASOWA — a social organisation has opened a tribal library, transformed two anganwadi centers into a modern play school, organised health and sanitation awareness camp, supported differently-abled students in realising their dreams through supporting them in their education.
Richa Sanchita, Secretary – JIASOWA, highlighting about a few ventures of this organisation said, “Two tribal libraries will be set up in Khunti district. PANKH schools adopted by JIASOWA are being transformed through different initiatives. War Widows are getting extensive support from JIASOWA. The widows are given financial aid to support their family as a token of respect from the organisation.”
Meanwhile, yet again keeping the demands of ‘Shopaholics’, stalls of variety of products from across the country including foreign nations have been set for display at this ongoing fair. The five-day fair will continue till Oct 29.
A range of quality products will greet the city residents put up on the fair premises. From Uttarakhand’s Khadi products to Kashmir’s woolen products, the Ranchi-ites will get desired products from across the nations at an affordable price. Artisans from different district of Jharkhand will share a common platform for directly selling their handiworks and other utility items with the sellers from Rajasthan, Nagaland, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat, Bihar etc. Interestingly, the women Self Help Groups (SHGs) have been given stalls for free of cost.
The event is being taken beyond the commercial activities by introducing cultural nights, endorsing different folk art forms, fashion show etc. According to the members of the organising committee, during the ongoing fair, every night, a cultural event will be organised where ‘Women Empowerment’ will be the centre theme.